DC Commercial Door Solutions supplies, installs, and replaces FRP commercial doors throughout Washington, DC, along with other fiberglass and composite door types. These doors are built for openings where steel rusts and wood swells: wet areas, washdown rooms, coastal and exterior exposures, and entrances that take constant traffic.
Fiberglass & FRP Commercial Doors
FRP, Fiberglass & Composite Door Installation in DC
What Are Fiberglass, FRP, and Composite Commercial Doors?
FRP stands for fiberglass reinforced polymer (often called fiberglass reinforced plastic). An FRP door has fiberglass face sheets bonded over an internal core and frame, so there is no steel skin to rust and no wood face to absorb water. Composite commercial doors use a similar idea: engineered, non-porous materials in place of steel or solid wood. In everyday use the terms fiberglass door, FRP door, and composite door overlap, and we help you choose the construction that suits the opening rather than the label.
Where FRP Commercial Doors Make Sense
- Moisture-heavy rooms Commercial kitchens, dish rooms, locker rooms, pool and spa areas, restrooms, and laundry rooms where steel doors rust at the bottom edge.
- Corrosive environments Chemical storage, labs, water treatment areas, parking garages exposed to road salt, and washdown areas cleaned with harsh products.
- Exterior commercial openings Service entrances, loading and trash-room doors, rooftop and mechanical access doors exposed to rain and temperature swings.
- High-traffic openings Schools, healthcare and food-service corridors, and back-of-house doors that take carts, impact, and frequent cleaning.
- Hygiene-sensitive spaces Food preparation and healthcare areas where a smooth, non-porous, easily cleaned surface is useful.
Fiberglass / FRP vs. Hollow Metal Doors
Steel hollow metal doors remain the right choice for many commercial openings and are widely available with fire ratings. They struggle where water and chemicals are constant: once the coating is damaged, rust starts at the bottom edge and seams. FRP and fiberglass doors do not rust, resist dents and many chemicals, and hold their finish with little maintenance. They usually cost more up front, so they earn their keep on openings where steel doors keep failing. We look at the opening and tell you plainly which material is the better fit.
Frames for FRP and Composite Doors
A corrosion-resistant door hung in a rusting steel frame only solves half the problem. Depending on the opening, we install FRP or fiberglass frames, aluminum frames, stainless steel frames, or galvanized hollow metal frames. Where the existing frame is sound, a new door can often be fitted to it; where the frame is rusted at the floor or pulled loose from the wall, we recommend replacing both together.
Compatible Hardware
FRP and composite doors accept standard commercial hardware when they are ordered with the right reinforcement. We specify and install:
- Stainless steel or continuous hinges suited to wet locations
- Door closers sized for the door weight
- Panic bars and exit devices for egress doors
- Commercial locks and levers; see commercial lock installation
- Electrified hardware and access control preparation
- Kick plates, thresholds, sweeps, and gasketing; see commercial door hardware
FRP Door Installation and Replacement
We measure the opening, confirm the swing, hardware, and any rating requirements, and order the door and frame to suit. On replacement work we remove the failed door and frame, repair the opening as needed, set and anchor the new frame, hang the door, install and adjust the hardware, and test the opening before we leave. You receive a written quote before any work begins.
A Note on Fire-Rated Openings
Some FRP and composite doors are available with fire ratings, but not every model is, and a rated opening needs a door, frame, and hardware that are all listed for that use. If your opening is required to be fire-rated, tell us up front so we can quote a suitably labeled assembly. See our fire-rated doors page for more detail.
Care and Service Life of Fiberglass Commercial Doors
Fiberglass commercial doors need very little upkeep compared with steel. There is no repainting to hold back rust, and the surface cleans with ordinary detergent. What still wears is the hardware: hinges, closers, sweeps, and gasketing on FRP commercial doors work as hard as on any other door, so it is worth having them checked periodically. See commercial door repair.
Composite commercial doors and FRP doors that take a hard impact can sometimes be repaired, but a door that has delaminated or lost its edge seal is normally replaced. We will tell you which applies after looking at the door.
Properties We Serve
Fiberglass, FRP, and composite doors hold up to moisture, cleaning chemicals, and heavy use, which makes them a practical choice for schools, government facilities, and many commercial buildings.
- Government Buildings & Facilities Corrosion-resistant doors for utility areas, washrooms, and service entrances in public buildings.
- Schools & Educational Facilities FRP doors for locker rooms, restrooms, kitchens, pools, and high-traffic corridors.
- Universities & Colleges Composite doors for laboratories, athletic facilities, and food-service areas.
- Commercial Properties Restaurants and commercial kitchens, healthcare and laboratory facilities, hotels, warehouses, retail properties, office buildings, apartment buildings, and condominiums.
Serving Washington DC
DC Commercial Door Solutions installs and replaces FRP commercial doors and fiberglass commercial doors throughout Washington, DC, from restaurant kitchens along H Street and 14th Street to service and garage doors in Downtown, Navy Yard, and NoMa buildings. We also serve nearby Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a fiberglass door and an FRP door?
In commercial use they generally mean the same thing. FRP stands for fiberglass reinforced polymer: fiberglass face sheets bonded over an internal core. Composite door is a broader term for doors built from engineered, non-porous materials.
Are FRP doors better than steel doors?
Not everywhere. FRP doors are the stronger choice where moisture, chemicals, or salt cause steel to rust. For standard interior and many fire-rated openings, hollow metal doors are often the more economical option.
Can FRP doors be used on exterior commercial openings?
Yes. Their resistance to moisture and corrosion makes them a common choice for exterior service, mechanical, and loading-area doors.
Can an FRP door be installed in my existing frame?
Often, if the frame is square, solid, and not rusted through. If the frame is deteriorated we recommend replacing the door and frame together.
Do FRP doors work with panic bars, closers, and access control?
Yes. When the door is ordered with the correct reinforcement, it accepts standard commercial closers, exit devices, locks, and electrified hardware.
Are fiberglass or FRP doors fire-rated?
Some models are available with fire ratings and some are not. If the opening must be rated, the door, frame, and hardware all need to be listed for that use, so let us know before we quote.
Contact DC Commercial Door Solutions
If you need a fiberglass, FRP, or composite commercial door installed or replaced, call DC Commercial Door Solutions at (202) 517-2407 or book an appointment online. You can also contact us with questions, or read more about DC Commercial Door Solutions.